


Growth

by Ieavethecity



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: F/M, i dont know if ill be adding to this story but i honestly might, this is honestly just super soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23074558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ieavethecity/pseuds/Ieavethecity
Summary: Beverly allows for Richie to see a side of herself she hadn't let anyone else find out about
Relationships: Beverie, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier, Beverly Marsh/Richie Tozier, bevchie - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13





	Growth

**Author's Note:**

> this is really just a shitty soft concept i had come up with a while back and finally wanted to act on

Once every few months, Beverly would get her hands dirty. She never bothered used gardening gloves- she preferred the wet soil against her skin, where it could leech out all the bad in her mind.

The plants grew, regardless of the world around them. All Bev had to do was water them sometimes and keep them in a window with lots of sunlight. And then, they were happy. Completely oblivious to the hate, violence, and anger of the world as they climbed towards the sun, more slowly than she could see. Sometimes she did try to see them grow. She could stare at them for hours, hoping to be as oblivious to the outside world as they could be. Those were some of the few times she felt truly happy.

Richie, who had been begun walking home from the arcade, spotted the back of a familiar red-head who carried a two brown bag filled with mystery contents. "Hey, Bev!" He called to her, causing her to pause for a moment before turning around, a smile already curled to her pink lips. She could recognize that voice from a mile away. "Richie," She greeted as the dark-haired boy walked up to her, smile bright on his face. 

Richie paused a moment, taking in what she was wearing. A flowy mossy-green dress that stopped just above her knees to reveal slight bruises. It was very pretty on her, giving the six-teen-year-old a more mature, almost adult-ish look

He looked away before clearing his throat "So uh, what are you up to?" He questioned, tilting his head slightly to the side as he eyed the bags she was holding. "Just got some stuff from Tom's store," She shifted the bags forward carefully, showing the contents

Inside one of the bags, one could see a small silver shovel, some packets, and a few other things Richie couldn't really make out. He took the bag from her, smiling as he did so. He held the bag with him before motioning to Bev to begin walking, which she did, chuckling slightly to herself 

Richie glanced into the bag once more before joining her "What are you even doing with all this junk?" Beverly glanced over to him, an amused spark in her eyes "I'll be planting with all that junk." She answered before looking down at the bags "I have some plants that are too large for their containers, so I'll be repotting those too." She added 

For Beverly, the best times were when the plants grew too large for their containers. She’d usually go to the kitchen and look for old jars that could fit the plants, sometimes taking armfuls to keep in her room, trying her hardest to not be noticed by her father. Then she’d go outside to the area behind her apartment building and gather dirt. She'd always make sure it was dark, healthy, and moist.

Richie nodded as he listened to her, looking down at the concrete as the pair walked. How hadn't he ever realized she liked to plant or at least noticed or even asked about it. It made Richie mentally kick himself "I see. And what will you be doing with the packets the bag?" He asked, looking to her for an answer. "Those packets have seeds in them. I'll be using those to make more plants." She replied with a small smile. The sun was shining down on her, giving her an almost glowing complexion. She looked absolutely beautiful, or that's what Richie thought in the safety of his mind 

Today was a planting day. A day to move overgrown plants into their rightful containers. To do that, you have to break the mass of threadlike roots, so the plant can comfortably grow into the new soil. Beverly sometimes felt bad hurting the plant, but she knew it had to be done for new growth. She’d always try to find the metaphor in it, but nothing had ever felt right

-

The two sixteen-year-olds continued walking, chatting away as they did so. It wasn't long before both were at Beverly's house. As soon as Richie entered the dark apartment, he was confronted with a slightly stale smell. It smelled as if a window needed opening. 

Beverly led him into her room, which looked as Richie would expect, but it certainly didn't have that stale smell the rest of the house had. The room smelled slightly floral, like lilacs. It was clean, comfortable, and well lived-in. The walls were a soft peach-like color, giving the room a rather calming quality. There were multiple plants strewn about. Some had a home on the windowsill, others had their home on a desk, and one had its home on a nightstand. 

Beverly set her bag down on her bed, glancing at Richie to do the same, which he did. "Which do you want to do, repot or plant?" Beverly asked with a smile. Richie looked down at the shorter girl in front of him "Whatever you would like to do, I'd be more than happy about, M'lady." He said this in a thick English accent, a cheesy grin plastered on his face as he stuck his hands in his pockets

Beverly playfully rolled her eyes with a small smile "You're such a dork sometimes." She teasingly said, emptying the contents of the brown bags onto her bed. She grabbed the small shovel Richie had caught a glimpse of earlier, then beginning out of her room. She looked back to Richie, sending him a charming smile before jerking her head slightly in a 'c'mon, follow me' kind of motion 

Beverly led him into the kitchen. She set the shovel down on the counter, then squatting down to a lower cupboard. She shuffled some things around for a few moments before coming back up with a large blue bowl and a few sizable mason jars. "We'll use these for the plants." She told him 

Richie nodded, thoughtfully picking one of the mason jars up, examining it carefully in his hands for a few moments "Now what do we do?" He asked, not yet looking to Beverly, who ended up softly smiling as she watched him "We take these outside and gather some dirt. Then we can plant some of the seeds." 

It had made Beverly surprisingly happy Richie had agreed to plant with her. Though she wouldn't ever tell him herself, Richie usually made Beverly happy in one way or another, but this was different. It was a feeling that was light and airy, yet it made her chest heavy all at the same time, almost like smoke. It was a feeling of genuine, unpolluted joy

-

Once the couple had gone back out from the apartment, and had gathered the soil into the jars and bowl, they made their careful ways back up the fire escape, where Beverly had placed different plants that needed repotting and the seeds that needed potted on the landing in front of the door that entered back into the apartment. She figured all the things on the landing would more than likely be considered a fire hazard

Richie mindfully set the last of the soil-filled mason jars down before standing up straight, arching his back as he stretched "Say, where'd you learn to do this?" The dark-haired boy asked curiously, glancing over to Bev. She sent a small smile his way before shrugging "I just got bored, I guess. And I wanted something to decorate my room, but I didn't really have enough cash to go all out." She smiled at this, though it wasn't a sad smile. It was a glad one "I guess this just seemed like the next best thing."

Beverly had learned to garden in some ways thanks to her mother. Her mom had left her a book all about flowers, which Beverly had found whilst cleaning. Even though Beverly was young when she found the book, she was fascinated by plants. She learned from stories her father would tell her, that her mom used to be fascinated by plants as well. She made the house come alive, as Alvin put it once, with all the plants she had around. Once she died, though, the house seemed to die with her 

Beverly would plant to make the house appear lived in, welcoming. For Bev, it was far from that, but giving it the vibe of a real and actual home made the house slightly more bearable 

Richie seemed to chew on this idea a few moments before simply nodding. Beverly's smile turned slightly softer as she looked up to him. She reached up to his face, gently brushing away a smudge of dirt on his cheekbone with a slender thumb. It made Richie's eyes widen just slightly behind his glasses, his heart beat just a little faster

Her hand continued lingering there a few moments, almost cupping his cheek before she slowly dropped her hand from his face, looking down with a small smile. She nudged him with her arm "I thought you said you were gonna help." She teasingly said with a small smile. She took a seat on the top stair before reaching behind her to grab one of the plants needing repotting

Richie, who still looked somewhat flustered, his mouth slightly ajar as took a seat on the opposite side of the landing, then reached back for a plant in a mason jar 

Beverly explained to him what they were to do, Richie's gaze on her the entire time. Bev felt his eyes on her, which made her blush slightly, though it was hard to tell thanks to the apples of her cheeks and the bridge of her nose both already being sun-kissed kind of pink 

-

It only took the two of them twenty-five or so minutes to finish repotting all of the plants. It did, however, only take ten minutes for the pair to plant the seeds into their new mason jar homes. The two talked whilst working, mostly just Richie blabbering away. Richie had ended up rather filthy with dirt, which caused Beverly to laugh slightly.

"Looks like you made a bit of a mess." She teased playfully 

"Hey, that's unfair! I'm a virgin when it comes to this replanting bullshit!" He said in a slightly defensive tone, though it was all with a pleased smile

Beverly rolled her eyes slightly, but there was a good-natured smile on her face. "Excuses, excuses." She said 

This made Richie smile a few moments before looking away at his dirt-covered hands. While Richie talks fast and often, occasionally saying brilliant things, he talked for a reason. When he talks, he usually doesn't feel. He uses his words as a form of defense. When he's around Beverly, though, he finds it hard to talk 

Richie has self-censored himself for so very long. As soon as he gets close to any core emotion, he tries his best to shut it down with words. He just can't bring himself to do that; not when around Beverly. He prefers actual conversations with her. He likes hearing her opinions, her views, what makes her unique and special. He likes asking her questions, and Beverly likes feeling as though she's something worth being asked about 

In some ways, that's the reason why she has plants on her windowsill, on her desk, on her nightstand. Not because they make the air better or because they are pretty. Not because they give her a reason to be out of the house and away from her dad. Somedays, she plants because it makes her feel connected with her mother again. But that's not the only reason she does it. She does it because it is to remind her she’s needed, even if it’s simply by a plant.

**Author's Note:**

> i kinda wanna make this a book? maybe i will. let me know whatcha think, though :) it would be seriously appreciated 
> 
> anyway, i hope ya have a great day!


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